All 21 of us sat around the Christmas tree exchanging gifts according to Gram's directions. The gifts are limited, and over half of them are homecrafted ... we look forward to these. My oldest daughter and husband can things all year long, then at Christmas time her brother/family and sister/family and gram/gramps get this big container with all canned items, and we eat on them all year!!! And its always great joy to watch the littler kids open gifts.
This year I'd like to share with what I received....
from my oldest daughter/husband a homemade nut crusher, they live in the deep south were pecans are quite common, and the grandkids make money for summer camp gathering and selling them. This nut-cracker is great for nearly any kind of nut that comes in a shell. My middle daughter/husband bought me an Ohio State cap!! ... go bucks. Then
my son bought me a 'McGruder' uncut tape. Now all my kids know mom/dad don't watch R rated stuff, this dvd is rated 'r' because of strong graphic violence, obscene language and sexual content AND nudity! ............... go figure. I told the kids you really know you're getting old when your kids give you a ball cap, a nutcracker and a dirty video for Christmas! We have a great time, tonight my two oldest granddaughters and great grandson will be leaving for upper New York, then tomorrow morning my oldest daughter for Alabama .......... I'll be lost in the silence; but I'll manage with gram.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
Chrismtas 2011 has begun..........
T'was the first day after Christmas!...........
Our kids&grandkids from Alabama arrived a little after 4AM this morning; after a long drive from the DEEP South - and each of them[6] went immediately to bed and fell asleep. Gram heard them knock - how she did that over the sound machine, I don't know. Except it was probably that built-in mother's intuition. She said to me, 'did you hear a knock on the door?' .. the only noise I hear is you, I replied. Stumbling out of bed trying to make my way to greet them, Gram had already beat me to the door!!
Early tomorrow morning our kids/grandkids/first great grandson will be arriving from upstate New York before the sun comes up [7]; then a few hours later as the sun peaks over the horizon, the kids& grandkids from Detroit will knock on the door[6]; although I suspect they won't have to knock, everyone will be wide awake as our Christmas celebration takes place.
I went out early, everyone was still sound asleep to get orange juice, a donut and my usual cappacino/coffee. I was bragging about our coming family reunion and the clerk said "that is so neat, paused, then added, would you have room for one more?!"
My prayer is that even when Gram/Gramps have departed for eternal rest, the family will keep on having family reunions. My one aunt's last request of her gathered kids and grandkids was 'NEVER STOP HAVING FAMILY REUNIONS, PROMISE ME!.' My fondest memories of family reunions are from both sides of the family; a blessing one gets from growing up in the 50's etc. However reunions on both sides of the family became really scarce since the families got so spread out, and it just seemed my generation didn't want to continue the tradition. But.....................a cousin of mine [father's side] and his wife have started the family reunions back up again, and for the last two summers we have had a tremendous time coming together! You can have all the possessions one could ever dream of but without family what good are they?!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
P.S.... My son called us early Saturday morning and said that they had heard an old song [though I've never heard it, but Gram has] about a woman wanting to have this 'trist' with Santa, something about "Santa, Baby?" .. well, our two year old grandson got quite upset with the song, not about any moral issue, but the fact Santa was not a 'baby', but a kind old man with this flowing white beard!!!!
Our kids&grandkids from Alabama arrived a little after 4AM this morning; after a long drive from the DEEP South - and each of them[6] went immediately to bed and fell asleep. Gram heard them knock - how she did that over the sound machine, I don't know. Except it was probably that built-in mother's intuition. She said to me, 'did you hear a knock on the door?' .. the only noise I hear is you, I replied. Stumbling out of bed trying to make my way to greet them, Gram had already beat me to the door!!
Early tomorrow morning our kids/grandkids/first great grandson will be arriving from upstate New York before the sun comes up [7]; then a few hours later as the sun peaks over the horizon, the kids& grandkids from Detroit will knock on the door[6]; although I suspect they won't have to knock, everyone will be wide awake as our Christmas celebration takes place.
I went out early, everyone was still sound asleep to get orange juice, a donut and my usual cappacino/coffee. I was bragging about our coming family reunion and the clerk said "that is so neat, paused, then added, would you have room for one more?!"
My prayer is that even when Gram/Gramps have departed for eternal rest, the family will keep on having family reunions. My one aunt's last request of her gathered kids and grandkids was 'NEVER STOP HAVING FAMILY REUNIONS, PROMISE ME!.' My fondest memories of family reunions are from both sides of the family; a blessing one gets from growing up in the 50's etc. However reunions on both sides of the family became really scarce since the families got so spread out, and it just seemed my generation didn't want to continue the tradition. But.....................a cousin of mine [father's side] and his wife have started the family reunions back up again, and for the last two summers we have had a tremendous time coming together! You can have all the possessions one could ever dream of but without family what good are they?!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
P.S.... My son called us early Saturday morning and said that they had heard an old song [though I've never heard it, but Gram has] about a woman wanting to have this 'trist' with Santa, something about "Santa, Baby?" .. well, our two year old grandson got quite upset with the song, not about any moral issue, but the fact Santa was not a 'baby', but a kind old man with this flowing white beard!!!!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
"Another Troop Train"
This past May 16th I wrote a review on Bob Greene's book, 'Once Upon A Town.' It was about a town in North Platte, ND. that became a regular stopping mecca for trains headed east and/or west with troops aboard. The other night I was reading a history book on the good wife's hometown Decatur, Illinois, and was reading the section on the town's history and participation in the Civil War. I came across a curious paragraph,
"Trains filled with wounded soldiers passed through Decatur frequently, and all were met at the station by women from the 'Hospital Aid Society.' With baskets of delicacies on their arms they made their way among the suffers, to whom the words of comfort and encouragement meant as much as the food and drink. Decatur was a dinner stop for trains carrying wounded troops. [End of quote]*
It was really neat to read this and realize that long before WWII, there was a place,
[and there are probably other railroad stops not very well known about] that reached out to be of whatever help they could to others.
*History of Macon County, 1976. 24.Civil War Days. pg.185
"Trains filled with wounded soldiers passed through Decatur frequently, and all were met at the station by women from the 'Hospital Aid Society.' With baskets of delicacies on their arms they made their way among the suffers, to whom the words of comfort and encouragement meant as much as the food and drink. Decatur was a dinner stop for trains carrying wounded troops. [End of quote]*
It was really neat to read this and realize that long before WWII, there was a place,
[and there are probably other railroad stops not very well known about] that reached out to be of whatever help they could to others.
*History of Macon County, 1976. 24.Civil War Days. pg.185
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
"TEBOWED!"
After seeing trailers of the SNL broadcast on Tim Tebow I'm wondering if they would do the same today on someone who is a Muslim, a Buddhist or Jew?? Seems to be open season on Christians again .......... maybe it never stopped I just missed it?
Monday, December 19, 2011
Two Horses...........
Well I have found it ....................... the 'Indian' connection we've all heard about in the family, but no on believed. My grandpa Chester had said that way back in his family history there was a full blooded Indian, but since no one cared enough to really dig it was discounted as a myth. Yesterday I had a fourth cousin from Tennessee email me, and we began an email relationship about family. He was related to my grandpa's step father family, in which most of them live just across the state line in North Carolina. A little background: when grandpa was two months old his father died in Brushy Mt. Prison in Eastern Tennessee for killing a man; he claimed it was in self defense and so the official records say it was involuntary manslaughter and yet he ended up in state pen. My great grandma remarried and the only father my grandpa knew was his step dad. Well his step father's great grandma [on his dad's side]was a full blooded Sioux maiden from Oklahoma named Two Horses! I am so excited to at last put an end to myth ............ and prove Grandpa knew exactly what he was talking about. Now because it was my grandpa's step relationship I'm without even a half-drop of Indian blood but that's okay ........who knows, maybe some day I can 'track' her family down. Excuse the pun, I just couldn't resist, although I don't really like the term when applied to humans.
p.s. My grandpa, when he was a teenager in TN. broke out of jail, with his older brother for running moonshine, and they went north to Detroit and found jobs with the Wabash Railroad. Grandpa's older brother changed his name and moved back to TN near home. Its hard to explain that except the 'law' in those days, in those parts wasn't exactly in the same caliber as Sherlock Holmes... but Grandpa stayed up north and moved to our hometown, which was a major stopping point on the Detroit to Illinois Wabash line. ... there he eventually settled down and married Grandma. She is 98, in a nursing home, and mentally as sharp as a tack ... matter of fact, Gramma is about the only family member that enjoys talking family history with me.
p.s. My grandpa, when he was a teenager in TN. broke out of jail, with his older brother for running moonshine, and they went north to Detroit and found jobs with the Wabash Railroad. Grandpa's older brother changed his name and moved back to TN near home. Its hard to explain that except the 'law' in those days, in those parts wasn't exactly in the same caliber as Sherlock Holmes... but Grandpa stayed up north and moved to our hometown, which was a major stopping point on the Detroit to Illinois Wabash line. ... there he eventually settled down and married Grandma. She is 98, in a nursing home, and mentally as sharp as a tack ... matter of fact, Gramma is about the only family member that enjoys talking family history with me.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Bayou Nickel
As I went to pay for my usual morning coffee, I happened to look at one of the nickel's I was giving and saw something on a nickel I've never seen. Since most of us don't closely observe pennies and nickels this was strange to me. It was a 2004 nickel, and on the back were two hands shaking and above them a long peace pipe and axe crossed. The words were 1803 Louisiana Purchase. I guess I never knew that there were some unique nickels out there with historical events on them .............. maybe next time I'll pay a little more attention; and to think I always laughed at people that picked up pennies on the sidewalk? ..duh
Friday, December 16, 2011
Anonymous donors at Kmart
It seems that Santa is getting a rush of donations paying off people's layaways at Kmart. I think that's really neat, and I'm certainly no Scrooge, and hope it continues.........but, but, but...
A lady in an Indianapolis Kmart paid for 50 people's lay-aways, then on the way out handed out $50 bills .. doing this in memory of her husband who had just died. I applaud that woman; and all the others who do likewise. However there are some concerns this raises..
~like the individual who said, "It was like an angel fell out of the sky
and appeared in our store." if the 'angel' had never appeared would
that individual still believe in angels??
~or the person who said, "I was speechless, it made me believe in Christmas
again." So that person's belief in Christmas is based on blessing
she receives; the article went on to say someone paid the balance on
her account which was for nearly $200 in toys for her 4yr.old son.
What's wrong with one or two inexpensive gifts?
has the meaning of Christmas really come down to 'how much we do or don't receive?' And though my heart was warmed by some of the stories of those who had their layaway's paid off, I believe there is a tremendous joy in store for those who chose to give. I would like to hear the stories behind those who paid off these accounts, but since most of them remain anonymous we'll never know them; but for them Christmas is about giving to others, not what they receive, for what they receive for their giving can't be calculated! Merry Christmas to all.
My mother, bless her heart, was really generous this Christmas and gave me a nice sum of money, not huge but certainly nice. She asked me what I planned to do with it, and I said, what I always do with the money she gives me at Christmas buy a book or two ............ but then after reading about Santa's helpers, all that money is
now going for gifts for friends who have so kind, helpful and gracious this past year. This is going to be fun!!
ENJOY
A lady in an Indianapolis Kmart paid for 50 people's lay-aways, then on the way out handed out $50 bills .. doing this in memory of her husband who had just died. I applaud that woman; and all the others who do likewise. However there are some concerns this raises..
~like the individual who said, "It was like an angel fell out of the sky
and appeared in our store." if the 'angel' had never appeared would
that individual still believe in angels??
~or the person who said, "I was speechless, it made me believe in Christmas
again." So that person's belief in Christmas is based on blessing
she receives; the article went on to say someone paid the balance on
her account which was for nearly $200 in toys for her 4yr.old son.
What's wrong with one or two inexpensive gifts?
has the meaning of Christmas really come down to 'how much we do or don't receive?' And though my heart was warmed by some of the stories of those who had their layaway's paid off, I believe there is a tremendous joy in store for those who chose to give. I would like to hear the stories behind those who paid off these accounts, but since most of them remain anonymous we'll never know them; but for them Christmas is about giving to others, not what they receive, for what they receive for their giving can't be calculated! Merry Christmas to all.
My mother, bless her heart, was really generous this Christmas and gave me a nice sum of money, not huge but certainly nice. She asked me what I planned to do with it, and I said, what I always do with the money she gives me at Christmas buy a book or two ............ but then after reading about Santa's helpers, all that money is
now going for gifts for friends who have so kind, helpful and gracious this past year. This is going to be fun!!
ENJOY
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Ole City Bank
Our church got a Christmas card from the City Bank in our town. Its a picture of when the bank was in its beginning years - one of those gothic pictures ... really neat. Of course its changed numerous times; matter of fact its latest building was built after the good wife and I moved into the area, and I can't even remember what it looked like. The websites for the bank don't have any former pictures, so I'm left with an absent memory and no resources to resurrect it.
In speaking with my office manager about the beautiful card she recalled when her family lived only a short distance from the first bank building and recalled when her mother would go to the 'walk-up' window at the bank .... yeppers, that's right the 'walk up' window. This was before a 'drive up' window; I didn't even know those windows existed. The inside clerk would pass her mom some gumballs for the kids thru the window. Imagine mom's now days giving their kids gumballs without wrappers passed thru a window of a commerical bank - can't see that one happening. But how neat to know that those kind of windows existed so that customers wouldn't have to come inside to do their transactions.
Just another neat little insight into yesterday!
In speaking with my office manager about the beautiful card she recalled when her family lived only a short distance from the first bank building and recalled when her mother would go to the 'walk-up' window at the bank .... yeppers, that's right the 'walk up' window. This was before a 'drive up' window; I didn't even know those windows existed. The inside clerk would pass her mom some gumballs for the kids thru the window. Imagine mom's now days giving their kids gumballs without wrappers passed thru a window of a commerical bank - can't see that one happening. But how neat to know that those kind of windows existed so that customers wouldn't have to come inside to do their transactions.
Just another neat little insight into yesterday!
Monday, December 12, 2011
MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME...........
........FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN!!
I can't believe I read this book; I am not a Stephen King fan, and even though he didn't write this book, I'm sure he would be proud of it. Many years ago I bought a book by Stephen King titled, "On Writing," figuring any person that had the following and number of successful novels he had had to know something about writing that I could learn from. My pitiful attempt to writing a book, which at this time is heading into complete rewrite, isn't even a blurp on the list of his voluminous books. After reading this book last night, I tried to find words to describe the book. It was certainly imaginative; and to younger readers probably a story that would keep them up many nights, constantly checking under the bed and jumping out of bed at the slightest noise ... but positively it lacked any bad, or off color language! I still wouldn't let anyone in my family under the sixth grade read it. The author's imagination at times seemed sane, and you actually thought, 'maybe that could happen.' But then a few pages later you were reunited with the totally insane. I know there are many teen series, such as the 'twilight one' that deal with the unnatural, but this book takes you back to an actual historical time and place; and though its not a historical fiction it reminds you how important history was in the authors design for his book. Perhaps its that historical aspect that kept me reading the book when I continually debated just putting it down ...or maybe its the 'time travel' concept, taking you back and forth that kept me hanging in there. But in the end its the 'good vs. evil' struggle that I had to know the conclusion of.
In many ways I guess the author was wanting to raise cultural and relational issues we face in every day life. Finally let me say the author has done something truly 'unique.' Ransom has done a great deal of research and found photo's [and some of these are pretty weird] to 'document' his story line; its akin to a Barnum and Bailey side show journey. Matter of fact the author insists that many of the peculiar children participated in those sideshows, which casts a whole different perspective on that peculiar institution and the true life people who were in them; and lastly of course on ole Mr. Barnum himself, if you take that rabbit hunt far enough. Gee, now I'm starting to sound like one of the characters in the book. It is interesting how Mrs. Peregrine [a peregrine falcon is said to be the world's fastest flying predator]fairs .............. she doesn't die, but..
ENJOY
RIGGS, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. Quirk Books Publishing
2011 ISBN: 978159474476-1
P.S. Oh, by the way Ralph Waldo Emerson is frequently mentioned.
I can't believe I read this book; I am not a Stephen King fan, and even though he didn't write this book, I'm sure he would be proud of it. Many years ago I bought a book by Stephen King titled, "On Writing," figuring any person that had the following and number of successful novels he had had to know something about writing that I could learn from. My pitiful attempt to writing a book, which at this time is heading into complete rewrite, isn't even a blurp on the list of his voluminous books. After reading this book last night, I tried to find words to describe the book. It was certainly imaginative; and to younger readers probably a story that would keep them up many nights, constantly checking under the bed and jumping out of bed at the slightest noise ... but positively it lacked any bad, or off color language! I still wouldn't let anyone in my family under the sixth grade read it. The author's imagination at times seemed sane, and you actually thought, 'maybe that could happen.' But then a few pages later you were reunited with the totally insane. I know there are many teen series, such as the 'twilight one' that deal with the unnatural, but this book takes you back to an actual historical time and place; and though its not a historical fiction it reminds you how important history was in the authors design for his book. Perhaps its that historical aspect that kept me reading the book when I continually debated just putting it down ...or maybe its the 'time travel' concept, taking you back and forth that kept me hanging in there. But in the end its the 'good vs. evil' struggle that I had to know the conclusion of.
In many ways I guess the author was wanting to raise cultural and relational issues we face in every day life. Finally let me say the author has done something truly 'unique.' Ransom has done a great deal of research and found photo's [and some of these are pretty weird] to 'document' his story line; its akin to a Barnum and Bailey side show journey. Matter of fact the author insists that many of the peculiar children participated in those sideshows, which casts a whole different perspective on that peculiar institution and the true life people who were in them; and lastly of course on ole Mr. Barnum himself, if you take that rabbit hunt far enough. Gee, now I'm starting to sound like one of the characters in the book. It is interesting how Mrs. Peregrine [a peregrine falcon is said to be the world's fastest flying predator]fairs .............. she doesn't die, but..
ENJOY
RIGGS, Ransom. MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN. Quirk Books Publishing
2011 ISBN: 978159474476-1
P.S. Oh, by the way Ralph Waldo Emerson is frequently mentioned.
Friday, December 9, 2011
"Familiars"
Since I'm a descendant of some participants in the Salem/Andover trials [on the accusing side] there is an irresistible tug towards historical fiction that deals with witching. In the historical novel, 'Daughters of the Witching Hill,' the story is told of the 1612 Pendle, England witch trials. I made a mistake that I won't repeat in the future for I went to the Internet and read all about those trials and couldn't finish the book because the author was so on target ... I'm only glad I was 3/4 of the way finished before I went to the net.
While reading the novel I was again reminded of many of the variables that both the accused and the accusers suffered in those disillusioned times. Many of the victims actually came to believe that they had witching powers before they were hung, and that they had actually been instrumental in the destruction and death of others. Witchcraft for the accusers [some of my ancestors] was an easy 'excuse' for conditions beyond their understanding. Through this novel I was again reminded that not all those who issued death sentences to the witches truly believed they were witches, but it was expedient, and since most of those convicted came from the poor it was no great travesty to calm the masses with a few hangings. In all of this calamnity the church can not escape without responsibility for most of the trials were lead by churchmen. In the case of the 1612 trails, England had been switching kings and queens and going from being Roman Catholic to Protestant that hardly no one, certainly not the uneducated poor, knew which side portrayed the truth. Clergymen from both Protestant and R.Catholic sides weren't so interested in the plight, poverty and injustice to the poor as they were 'counting souls' that were saved. Early history, even here in America is replete with clergy/priest preaching hellfire, purgatory and eternal destruction without offering a thread of hope by which even the life of the poorest could have some semblance of present day dignity.
Perhaps the most tragic figures in this book, at these trials, were those who truly had tried to improve the lot of farmers, and their families and their herds and crops and were falsely accused of doing them harm; when before the accusations were cast the authorities had allowed them to continue doing good ... only to arrest them when power and money persuaded them otherwise. I think this was an excellent job by the author.
SHARRATT, Mary. Mariner Books Publishers. 2010 ISBN:978054742229-9
ENJOY
While reading the novel I was again reminded of many of the variables that both the accused and the accusers suffered in those disillusioned times. Many of the victims actually came to believe that they had witching powers before they were hung, and that they had actually been instrumental in the destruction and death of others. Witchcraft for the accusers [some of my ancestors] was an easy 'excuse' for conditions beyond their understanding. Through this novel I was again reminded that not all those who issued death sentences to the witches truly believed they were witches, but it was expedient, and since most of those convicted came from the poor it was no great travesty to calm the masses with a few hangings. In all of this calamnity the church can not escape without responsibility for most of the trials were lead by churchmen. In the case of the 1612 trails, England had been switching kings and queens and going from being Roman Catholic to Protestant that hardly no one, certainly not the uneducated poor, knew which side portrayed the truth. Clergymen from both Protestant and R.Catholic sides weren't so interested in the plight, poverty and injustice to the poor as they were 'counting souls' that were saved. Early history, even here in America is replete with clergy/priest preaching hellfire, purgatory and eternal destruction without offering a thread of hope by which even the life of the poorest could have some semblance of present day dignity.
Perhaps the most tragic figures in this book, at these trials, were those who truly had tried to improve the lot of farmers, and their families and their herds and crops and were falsely accused of doing them harm; when before the accusations were cast the authorities had allowed them to continue doing good ... only to arrest them when power and money persuaded them otherwise. I think this was an excellent job by the author.
SHARRATT, Mary. Mariner Books Publishers. 2010 ISBN:978054742229-9
ENJOY
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Pastoral newsletter
I don't usually blog in this manner, but today it seemed appropriate.... so
TUESDAY AM PASTORAL WANDERINGS!
With great anticipation I listened to the youtube video that Tom Gibbons forwarded
us 'Where's the Line for Jesus?' and thoroughly enjoyed it - many times.
It reminded me of this past Sun.PM's message on the beloved carol 'O Little Town of
Bethlehem and the first verse that says, 'above thy deep and dreamless sleep.' No one
in that tiny town, or in all Israel was even dreaming about the possibility the Messiah
could come - how like them we are today.
Then early yesterday morning my sciatic nerve decided to begin an early Christmas journey down my left leg, gathering for some holiday cheer in the bottom of my left foot. Eventually I succumbed to the advice of my good wife and visited the doctor. He gave one of those wonderful shoots and the sciatic celebrations were put on hold, now only minimally allowed to remind me its still there. This story is getting way tooo long; so doc told me to go home yesterday afternoon and go to bed until Wed. .........so as always, since I'm paying for the visit/shot I figured that gives me the right to compromise ...and so here I am writing to youfrom the office, and feeling good. Aren't feelings wonderful when they are dis-illusions [I'm fairly sure that not a word]. This medical advice about compromise I would not advise you to follow.
So my end of the compromise was I went to bed early and not sleepy at all decided to read. I picked up a book I hadn't read for years, "Angels Don't Die" by Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter. The book is about her journey of faith that was so heavily influenced by her father, and still is today. Its a small book, 122 pages, concluding with Pres.Reagan's address to the nation about his beginning days of Alzheimer's. It was a great read and this time I made list of pages that impressed me ..........and one of them was,
#33 "The ancient Hindu scriptures say, 'deep within each of us is a God embryo. It
has only one desire - it wants to be born."
And I thought wow, that's not new with Hindu, that scriptural ... we are all born in the image of God, its our responsibility to allow that image to blossom and flourish in our lives so that others might know.
Somehow this passage in this book brought the carol, the youtube video and book all together for a great blessing yesterday .... and then this morning Sherry told me that she had been given the story behind the youtube video by a work acquaintance and would email it to me ... I'll share it with you this Sunday AM!! In the meantime here is another youtube video we received this morning from an old friend of ours back in Champaign, Ill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWrrvQ_3-40
Our ADVENT meditation for today, p.#35 'We are invited to journey deep within the
love of God by giving all of ourselves to loving God and our neighbor!'
HIS Peace
pt.
TUESDAY AM PASTORAL WANDERINGS!
With great anticipation I listened to the youtube video that Tom Gibbons forwarded
us 'Where's the Line for Jesus?' and thoroughly enjoyed it - many times.
It reminded me of this past Sun.PM's message on the beloved carol 'O Little Town of
Bethlehem and the first verse that says, 'above thy deep and dreamless sleep.' No one
in that tiny town, or in all Israel was even dreaming about the possibility the Messiah
could come - how like them we are today.
Then early yesterday morning my sciatic nerve decided to begin an early Christmas journey down my left leg, gathering for some holiday cheer in the bottom of my left foot. Eventually I succumbed to the advice of my good wife and visited the doctor. He gave one of those wonderful shoots and the sciatic celebrations were put on hold, now only minimally allowed to remind me its still there. This story is getting way tooo long; so doc told me to go home yesterday afternoon and go to bed until Wed. .........so as always, since I'm paying for the visit/shot I figured that gives me the right to compromise ...and so here I am writing to youfrom the office, and feeling good. Aren't feelings wonderful when they are dis-illusions [I'm fairly sure that not a word]. This medical advice about compromise I would not advise you to follow.
So my end of the compromise was I went to bed early and not sleepy at all decided to read. I picked up a book I hadn't read for years, "Angels Don't Die" by Patti Davis, Ronald Reagan's daughter. The book is about her journey of faith that was so heavily influenced by her father, and still is today. Its a small book, 122 pages, concluding with Pres.Reagan's address to the nation about his beginning days of Alzheimer's. It was a great read and this time I made list of pages that impressed me ..........and one of them was,
#33 "The ancient Hindu scriptures say, 'deep within each of us is a God embryo. It
has only one desire - it wants to be born."
And I thought wow, that's not new with Hindu, that scriptural ... we are all born in the image of God, its our responsibility to allow that image to blossom and flourish in our lives so that others might know.
Somehow this passage in this book brought the carol, the youtube video and book all together for a great blessing yesterday .... and then this morning Sherry told me that she had been given the story behind the youtube video by a work acquaintance and would email it to me ... I'll share it with you this Sunday AM!! In the meantime here is another youtube video we received this morning from an old friend of ours back in Champaign, Ill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWrrvQ_3-40
Our ADVENT meditation for today, p.#35 'We are invited to journey deep within the
love of God by giving all of ourselves to loving God and our neighbor!'
HIS Peace
pt.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Les Miserables
Last night the good wife and I gave each other our Christmas present early - a trip to Grand Rapids Devos Performing Arts Center to watch Les Miserables!! It was nothing short of great ..... first, because I was enjoying the evening with the person I love the very most; second we were sharing together the production we love most!
A few brief sketches that precluded the theater. We had gone in early to the city to have supper at a restaurant the good wife had always wanted to eat at. First let me clear the air of negative vibes so they don't sneak thru later.....we had to wait an hour to get our food, which put us in a very precarious situation to get to the theatre in time, and our waitress profusely kept apologizing despite our recognition it wasn't her fault. Finally we had to tell her we would have to skip the meal, but she promised to have the food in a few minutes .... it reminded me of the final two minutes of a football game where a team performs far above the level they have the whole game and one wonders why all of a sudden they do so well; why when we threatened to leave does our food so magically appear. The good wife enjoyed the meal she got, and insisted the time factor didn't play into her not being able to finish the meal - but I suspect it did. My soft crab sandwich was a real mystery, but finally have shredding the half head of lettuce, and lay aside the two huge anemic slices of tomato, I found it .... it looked like they had robbed a sea bed nursery, and on top of that they had possibly paninied [that's my word for flattened]
the crab. Someday I am going to try soft crab again, this time with one large enough to taste .... I've never had soft shell crab before - eating the shell and everything, but I enjoy new experiences.
Waiting for our meal was not however without blessing; matter of fact it was better than the food. Sitting next to our table was a party of about 12 people, and so the good wife was a little upset ..... and their communication was a bit noisey ... however it turned out to be really neat. There was a mother and her two young daughters that seemed to hold court at this gathering; and a grandfather who seemed to be the 'don' for when he spoke everyone listened, literally. Come to find out the youngest daughter was little Cosette in the play, and her real life father, who was not with them in the restaurant was the star of the play, Jean Valjean!! The mom eventually had to take her daughters to backstage and then she was returning as we passed her on the way to the theatre! It was really neat to see her in the play and watch the interaction between her and her father, having got to see her so up close in the restaurant!!!
As I was preparing to write this 'memory' this morning, I took out the playbills from previous events the good wife and I have attended down thru the years and came across the first Les Miserable playbill we had ever attended back in 1989, as a pastors appreciation gift from our congregation. I remember it well, I had read the book, the good wife hadn't, and so it was hard for her to follow. But that troupe was straight from Broadway NY and had performed around the world. We saw it at the Universi ty of Illinois, and it was the only revolving stage I've ever seen in my life ..... it slowly revolved so that a stage was constantly circling in front of you. Then I came across the high school production we had seen earlier this year.
We've seen at least six different productions of Les Miserable. Two from High Schools, one from Jr.College, and at least two professionals ... and there is a time or two I'm sure I've forgotten.
Had a wonderful evening with the most wonderful person in my life ........ 'the good wife!'
A few brief sketches that precluded the theater. We had gone in early to the city to have supper at a restaurant the good wife had always wanted to eat at. First let me clear the air of negative vibes so they don't sneak thru later.....we had to wait an hour to get our food, which put us in a very precarious situation to get to the theatre in time, and our waitress profusely kept apologizing despite our recognition it wasn't her fault. Finally we had to tell her we would have to skip the meal, but she promised to have the food in a few minutes .... it reminded me of the final two minutes of a football game where a team performs far above the level they have the whole game and one wonders why all of a sudden they do so well; why when we threatened to leave does our food so magically appear. The good wife enjoyed the meal she got, and insisted the time factor didn't play into her not being able to finish the meal - but I suspect it did. My soft crab sandwich was a real mystery, but finally have shredding the half head of lettuce, and lay aside the two huge anemic slices of tomato, I found it .... it looked like they had robbed a sea bed nursery, and on top of that they had possibly paninied [that's my word for flattened]
the crab. Someday I am going to try soft crab again, this time with one large enough to taste .... I've never had soft shell crab before - eating the shell and everything, but I enjoy new experiences.
Waiting for our meal was not however without blessing; matter of fact it was better than the food. Sitting next to our table was a party of about 12 people, and so the good wife was a little upset ..... and their communication was a bit noisey ... however it turned out to be really neat. There was a mother and her two young daughters that seemed to hold court at this gathering; and a grandfather who seemed to be the 'don' for when he spoke everyone listened, literally. Come to find out the youngest daughter was little Cosette in the play, and her real life father, who was not with them in the restaurant was the star of the play, Jean Valjean!! The mom eventually had to take her daughters to backstage and then she was returning as we passed her on the way to the theatre! It was really neat to see her in the play and watch the interaction between her and her father, having got to see her so up close in the restaurant!!!
As I was preparing to write this 'memory' this morning, I took out the playbills from previous events the good wife and I have attended down thru the years and came across the first Les Miserable playbill we had ever attended back in 1989, as a pastors appreciation gift from our congregation. I remember it well, I had read the book, the good wife hadn't, and so it was hard for her to follow. But that troupe was straight from Broadway NY and had performed around the world. We saw it at the Universi ty of Illinois, and it was the only revolving stage I've ever seen in my life ..... it slowly revolved so that a stage was constantly circling in front of you. Then I came across the high school production we had seen earlier this year.
We've seen at least six different productions of Les Miserable. Two from High Schools, one from Jr.College, and at least two professionals ... and there is a time or two I'm sure I've forgotten.
Had a wonderful evening with the most wonderful person in my life ........ 'the good wife!'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)